Using the Pre-Chat Form
The instructions below are for desktops and laptops only.
The Pre‑Chat Form lets you collect important information, such as a visitor’s name and email, before a chat starts.
This helps you:
Understand who the visitor is and what they need.
Qualify customers and filter out casual browsers.
Give agents the context they need to respond effectively.
Note: Enabling the Pre‑Chat Form usually leads to fewer chats overall, as some visitors may choose not to fill out the form.
How to set up the Pre‑Chat Form
3. Click Administration on the top menu.
4. In the left menu, click Channels and select Chat Widget.
5. Under Widget Content, click Edit Content. This will open the content editor.
6. Under Widget State, click the Pre‑Chat tab. Then, switch Enable Pre‑Chat on.
7. You can add an optional message above the form on your widget. Under Header Cards, click + Add, choose Text Area, and enter your message.
8. Under Body Cards, click + Add and select Form.
9. Default fields such as Name and Email will appear.
You can tailor the form by adding fields that collect the most relevant information for your team. Just click the buttons in the Form section to add new questions or input types.
Available field options include:
+ Add department – Let visitors choose a department so their chat reaches the right team.
Note: You must create departments before including a department selection in your form. Learn more with these guides:
Creating and managing departments
Set up a Pre-Chat Form with the option to select a Department
+ Add phone number – Collect a contact number for follow-up or verification.
+ Add question with input text – Ideal for short responses such as an order
number or account ID.
+ Add question with textarea – Use this to gather more detailed information, such as questions or issue descriptions.
+ Add multiple choice – Offer a list of options where visitors can select one or more answers.
+ Add options choice – Provide visitors with a dropdown or radio button list to select a single option.
10. To make any field required, click the star icon next to it.
11. To reorder the fields, click the drag handle on the left of each field and move it up or down.
12. Preview your form, and click Save when you’re happy with the changes.
Your Pre-Chat Form is now active.
What visitors see
Visitors will see the Pre‑Chat Form before starting a conversation. If no fields are marked as required, they can skip the form and click Start Chat. However, if you’ve set any fields as mandatory, visitors must fill them out before they can begin the chat.
If you added the Phone number field, visitors can choose their country code (from the dropdown list) and enter their phone number.
What agents see
When visitors submit the Pre‑Chat Form, their responses appear at the beginning of the conversation. This helps your agents understand the visitor’s needs, so they can respond quickly and offer more relevant support.
Additional considerations
Chat volume and engagement
Using the Pre‑Chat Form can reduce the number of incoming chats, as some visitors may not want to fill out a form before starting a conversation. If your goal is to maximize engagement, you might consider keeping the form disabled.
Learn how to encourage more chats in this guide: How to engage more visitors in chat
Choosing required fields
Required fields can improve data quality, but too many mandatory questions may discourage visitors. Use only the fields you truly need.
Combine with triggers or AI Assist
You can use Triggers or AI Assist to further personalize chat experiences based on form input. This is especially useful for routing or creating scripted messages.
Learn more: Using Suggested Message and AI Assist to create scripted chat sequences
Auto-fill fields with JavaScript
You can use our JavaScript API to automatically populate visitor details (such as name and email) if users are logged in on your website.
Learn more: Setting a visitor’s name and email in the Pre‑Chat Form using JavaScript API
Enabling a Pre‑Chat Form is a great way to collect the details your team needs to offer faster, more personalized support—right from the start. With the right setup, you can streamline conversations and improve the overall experience for your visitors.
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